To Play with Lightning
by Artistic Ane-san
Summary: Jeanne returns from her mission, but Laxus seems to have a bone to pick with her. Rated T for paranoid author's language.


_The following text is a fanfiction. I do not own any of the characters or places mentioned, except Jeanne and her family. Flames, comments, and critiques are accepted, but one will be fed to Natsu. This story contains spoilers concerning the show, though minor. Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima._

"Tadaima!" I cried, swinging the guild doors open.

"Okaeri!" came the reply.

I walked over to Mira, who was cleaning glasses at the bar. "Okaeri, Jeanne-san. How did it go?"

"Fine," I sighed. "It was just a paranoid, pampered rich girl. And he wasn't cheating, he was preparing to propose. She was so happy, she raised the reward another hundred thousand jewels."

"Oh, that's fantastic, Jeanne-san. And how much of it do you plan on giving away?"

I rolled my eyes. "Not very much, since my parents won't accept more than a quarter of what I make. Something about me needing it more. Rita and I are thinking of moving out. That should help at least lower electric, water, and food costs."

"That's thoughtful of you, Jeanne-san. Would you be staying at Fairy Hills?"

I laughed. Loudly. "Hell, no, Mira! I've seen the rent on that place, and it's ridiculous! I did see a really nice place on Strawberry St. by the canals. But, thinking about it," I added, "it might be better suited for Lucy."

"Oh! Speaking of Lucy, you'll never believe what happened yesterday!"

"She beat Natsu in a fight?" I joked.

"No, Erza returned."

"Oh, that's good, she was gone for a while. But that's nothing unbelievable."

"True, but how about the fact that she asked Natsu and Gray to form a team with her?"

"_What?!_" I yelled.

"I know," Mira said excitedly. "That might be strongest team! Isn't it exciting?"

I put my hand to my head. "More like terrifying! The three of them together? I can't even begin to imagine the damage they'll do! Plus, Natsu and Gray, working together? Seriously?"

Mira laughed. "Yes, that did trouble me a bit, so I asked Lucy to help keep them in line. Between the four of them, I'd call them the strongest team in Fairy Tail."

I thought a bit. "I dunno, Mira-san. Strong as each of them are, I'd say Laxus and the Raijinshuu would probably have them beat."

"Oh? Would you?"

I froze. Mira had snipped. I could feel the air around us getting colder. '_Ah, well, let her have her fantasy.'_

"Does Master know about this? Where is he anyway?"

Mira's aura warmed up. "He's in Clover right now, for the Guild Masters' Meeting. I've sent him a message."

"Oh, if I had known that he was there, I'd have stayed and traveled back with him. I really hate travelling alone." I was silent a bit, then stood up. "Well, I only came to let you know I was back. I'd better get out now, so Rita and I can go house-hunting."

Mira smiled. "See you around."

"See ya!" I turned, and smacked straight into a mountain of muscle, falling on my butt and knocking off my glasses.

I didn't even have to look up to know who it was; only Laxus had that body type. "Sorry!" I cried, forcing myself to look at his feet as I reached for my glasses. I did _not_ need to look at _his_ past.

Once I put my glasses on and looked up, it was indeed the Lightning Mage, with a face of disgust and annoyance, arms crossed.

Okay, I understand his way of thinking: he doesn't like the weak, thinks that Fairy Tail should be reserved for the strongest mages to maintain its reputation, and I most certainly was the weakest in the guild. But that didn't give him the excuse to be so freakin' _rude!_

"No, it's okay, I can get myself up, don't bother," I said, lathering my voice with sarcasm as I stood up.

Laxus looked a little surprised before resuming his usual glare. I held his gaze with a scowl of my own. But on the inside, I was screaming, "_Oh my god, did I just talk like that to Laxus?! Holy crap, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna_ _die!_"

Laxus stalked past me, with a 'tch,' and headed for the second floor. Weak-kneed, I stumbled back to the bar stool. "Holy crap, I thought he was gonna kill me..."

"If you're that scared of him, then don't challenge him," Mira gently berated.

"I couldn't help it, Mira-san! I said sorry, didn't I? He could've helped me up." I was back to being angry.

Honestly. I respect Laxus. I do! I mean, _hello_, weakest mage here, and he was arguably the strongest. But did he have to be so snobbish and arrogant about it?

"All right, I'd better go, before Rita gets angry at me." I stood up again, and headed out the doors.

"Oi."

"_Kya!_" I shrieked.

Laxus was outside the building, leaning on the walls.

"How did-? You were in- But now you're right- Wha-?" I was rambling. Oh sweet heavens, was there no end to the embarrassments today?

Laxus smirked. "What happened to all that bravado you showed earlier?"

"Quickly disappeared... but slowly coming back."

"Oh?" He raised a brow.

"Yeah, actually. That _was_ kinda rude, you know. Do you always just stand there when you knock a girl off her feet?"

"I tend to stay away from girls in general. Women, however, beg me to sweep 'em off their feet."

I rolled my eyes, and was about to continue walking, when Laxus's smirk disappeared, and he straightened up.

"It's a thousand years too early for you to speak to me the way you did." Aaaand there went my bravado again. "However, I might forgive you, if you tell me why you refused to look at me until you found these things." He tapped the lenses of my glasses, causing me to flinch.

I stepped back. What do I say?

"Uh, looking at stuff farther than reading distance hurts my head like crazy. Besides, I'd like to find them before they get crushed."

"Bull," he whispered. He took a step toward me, and bent down so that we were eye-to-eye. I was frozen. I didn't know what to do.

"Why do you refuse to look at anyone without those glasses?"

I panicked.

"Conceal Magic: Flash Gone!"

There was a flash of bright light, causing Laxus to cover his face and stumble back, and I was invisible. This was a get-away ruse I'd used when I first started out: blind my enemies, then run like hell. However, I couldn't bring myself to run this time. So I just stood there, like an idiot.

_'Maybe I should start taking hand-to-hand combat.'_

Laxus blinked a few times before saying, "I know you're still here, I didn't hear you run."

I didn't stay anything.

"You always had such a pitying look when you looked at people before you got those things, and ever since you got 'em, you tend to avoid looking at people without them."

"What's the point in having glasses if you don't use them? Especially when you need them?" I cried in exasperation. Laxus snapped his head to where my voice came from. I slowly and quietly moved behind him.

"I. Want. To know. Why."

Suddenly, it hit me.

"You already know why don't you?" I said, undoing my magic. Laxus spun around to face me. "You already know why, or at least suspect, and you want confirmation!" I pointed an accusing finger at him.

Laxus kept his glare on, and I could feel the air around us tingling. He was getting pissed.

"Keep talking that way, girlie, and you'll be the first to go when _I'm_ the Master."

_'When he's the Master? Wow, someone's gotten a little ahead of themselves.'_

"It's my business why I do what I do, Laxus, not yours." I turned away, and started walking. "Besides," I muttered, "I really don't need to see your weakest moments again."

"What?"

I froze. He heard that? Since when did he have sensitive ears?! I felt, more than saw, the air getting thicker, electrifying all around us.

"Jeanne!"

I looked up. Marguerite, my sister four years under me, was running up.

"I thought I'd find you here. I've been waiting forever, let's go!"

She saw Laxus behind me, and moved closer to me, clearly terrified. As if she didn't already have an exaggerated fear of strangers; seeing Laxus like that would put her off people for months.

"Gomen, Rita-chan," I said, hoping the nickname would help calm her. "Laxus-san and I were talking, and I lost track of time." I turned around with a smile. "See ya, Laxus. Remember, no one else can know."

Rita and I walked off, leaving him in a very foul mood.

_'That's it, I can never be in the same room as him again.'_

"Why? Did he find out?" Rita asked.

I blinked. I didn't realize I'd spoken those thoughts out loud. "Yeah, he did," I sighed. "Rita, what am I gonna do? I can't avoid him forever; we're guild mates!"

"Baka," she replied, flicking my head. "You're an expert at hiding, I'm sure you'll find a way. But," she added, with a mischievous grin, "are you sure you want to?"

Uh-oh. I knew where this was going. "What do you mean?"

"That was Laxus-san, right? The Laxus-san you always talk about?"

I blushing, I just knew it. "I don't talk about him any more than I do the others."

"Yeah, suuure."

"Shut up, you."


End file.
